Cryin' Shames

Charles (Paul) Crane

Joey Keen

Phil Roberts

George Robinson

Derek Cleary

Charlie Gallagher

Richard Routledge

The Cryin' Shames line-up was a little
younger than those performers that had originally put Merseyside
on the musical map. They are not one of the better known groups
to have emerged from Liverpool during the 1960s. To make matters
worse, there was a Chicago group with almost the same name- "The
Cryan' Shames" who were around at about the same time. Although
the Americans were almost unknown on this side of the Atlantic,
it is that group- not the "Cryin' Shames" that appear
in most biographical references. Sadly, the spelling of the names
of both groups has not been entirely consistent which hasn't
helped matters!

The "Cryin' Shames" originally
called themselves "The Bumblies" and were among the
many competent groups on Merseyside during the mid 1960s. They
had little luck in attracting interest from Record companies-
probably suffering from being a little late on a Merseyside scene
that was already beginning to fade a little by the end of 1965.
They decided to approach the independent producer Joe Meek despite
the fact that this sound engineering genius had possibly never
fully come to terms with the Liverpool sound. Fortunately, the
freshness of their performance impressed Meek and their first
single was taken up by Decca- the group were newly credited as
the "Cryin' Shames". With 'Paul' Crane's lispish vocalisation
of the Bacharach penned lyrics this original record was unfortunate
not to attain a higher chart placing. It has subsequently- like
most of Meek's work- become a collector's item and sales benefitted
from later re-issues. It was destined to be Meek's final chart
hit before the ill fated day in February 1967 when he committed
suicide.

Two more singles followed, each recorded
at further sessions produced by Joe Meek. By the time of their
final session the group's line-up had changed substantially from
their Bumblies days- maybe they weren't altogether happy with
their progress. The former Bumblies' member Ben Bennett had been
replaced by Richard (Ritchie) Routledge even before their first
release with the group's new name and Crane and Routledge became
the dominant musicians in the new line-up. In fact, their final
release, one of Meek's very last productions- the highly collectable
"September In The Rain" was credited to "Paul
And Ritchie And The Crying Shames". With the demise of Meek
the group split up. Paul Crane joined former Walkers Brother,
Gary Leeds in "Gary Walker And Rain" and made further
recordings , but the Cryin' Shames sole hit remains his most
memorable work.